GT86/BRZ - Family daily duties
Discussion
Hi all, I'm after a bit of advice more than anything. My wife and I have recently had our baby boy and this summer he will be coming to a year old. Now I'm a big believer in kids only knowing fun interesting cars - I'm always willing to sacrifice a bit of practicality if it means more fun.
I currently own an Octavia VRS mk1 nearing 160k which does the family everyday driving duties. My wife owns a 1.4 (75bhp) Lupo which does the ferrying about, quick trips around town. My summer car is a Honda S2000 which has been lovingly looked after the last 3 years of my ownership.
My original intention was to keep the S2K for the next 10+ years with the intention of taking my son out in it one day. Being a realist I've figured that in the real world I will miss not having that fun RWD car more of the time and the S2K will get used even less than it does now as my son can't sit in the back.
Now I love my S2K and the only other car I considered at the time of buying it was a GT86/BRZ.
I'm after opinions from owners of the 86 and those with experience in the same situation.
My thoughts are to sell the S2K and the Octavia reducing my outgoings to one car and purchasing a GT86/BRZ for around 12-14k therefore having the fun car everyday whilst also allowing my son and wife to enjoy the car too.
> Firstly if you've been in the same situation what did you do?
> Secondly if you own a GT86 whats the rear space like? Does the pram and baby stuff fill the boot?
> Thirdly I see roof boxes are hard to come by and SeaSuckers/Boot bags are the best alternatives - any opinions?
> Any alternatives?
I've considered an M3 but to be honest I really need to keep my MPG on the daily drive above 30mpg as I do a 50mile round trip each day. For reference the Octavia gets me 33mpg average at present and therefore an M3 would have to be a second car.
I know it's tough to have your cake and eat it but going down to one car may be my best option financially and for fun with the family.
I currently own an Octavia VRS mk1 nearing 160k which does the family everyday driving duties. My wife owns a 1.4 (75bhp) Lupo which does the ferrying about, quick trips around town. My summer car is a Honda S2000 which has been lovingly looked after the last 3 years of my ownership.
My original intention was to keep the S2K for the next 10+ years with the intention of taking my son out in it one day. Being a realist I've figured that in the real world I will miss not having that fun RWD car more of the time and the S2K will get used even less than it does now as my son can't sit in the back.
Now I love my S2K and the only other car I considered at the time of buying it was a GT86/BRZ.
I'm after opinions from owners of the 86 and those with experience in the same situation.
My thoughts are to sell the S2K and the Octavia reducing my outgoings to one car and purchasing a GT86/BRZ for around 12-14k therefore having the fun car everyday whilst also allowing my son and wife to enjoy the car too.
> Firstly if you've been in the same situation what did you do?
> Secondly if you own a GT86 whats the rear space like? Does the pram and baby stuff fill the boot?
> Thirdly I see roof boxes are hard to come by and SeaSuckers/Boot bags are the best alternatives - any opinions?
> Any alternatives?
I've considered an M3 but to be honest I really need to keep my MPG on the daily drive above 30mpg as I do a 50mile round trip each day. For reference the Octavia gets me 33mpg average at present and therefore an M3 would have to be a second car.
I know it's tough to have your cake and eat it but going down to one car may be my best option financially and for fun with the family.
You are gonna struggle without a decent boot in the fleet. We have 2 year old, a Golf 7 and a 996 and the Golf 7 boot overflows to the passenger seat.
Your Mrs is going to struggle with a lupo and everything that comes with a baby.
Flog the Lupo, daily the S2k and keep the VRS as run around. Spend the Lupo money on fuel for the s2k - it won't be depreciating....
EDIT: apparently an s2000 will do 30.1 real world average mpg, https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/honda/s2000-1...
Your Mrs is going to struggle with a lupo and everything that comes with a baby.
Flog the Lupo, daily the S2k and keep the VRS as run around. Spend the Lupo money on fuel for the s2k - it won't be depreciating....
EDIT: apparently an s2000 will do 30.1 real world average mpg, https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/honda/s2000-1...
Edited by was8v on Tuesday 19th February 14:18
See below for child seat fitment: https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7... . You may also be able to squeeze a pram and some baby stuff into the boot. See p 2: http://www.tarmactyrants.com/2015/10/10-reasons-wh... . But both would need to be tested first. The boot's actually not that small compared to, say, an MX-5 NC. But a truly cavernous hot hatch it isn't.
I've found that using the 86 for daily duties for a 30ish person is at the limit of OK. The suspension can be quite stiff, getting in & out can be some work, the engine does needs some revs to get going. But compared to a 3-series diesel or other such, every drive is an occasion… It has a a sports car layout from the factory that a hot hatch or German sedan cannot reproduce.
So if you'd plan on using the '86 daily to ferry round the wife and kid(s), incl. making many stops, I wouldn't do it. But if you have another car in the family for this, use the '86 mainly yourself and only for occasional wife+kid trips, I'd say do look into it. It can also be quite frugal for what it is (200hp rwd coupe) and its lightness and compact dimensions make it simple to place and park. And the ability to get a bit sideways (esp. in the wet) always helps.
I've found that using the 86 for daily duties for a 30ish person is at the limit of OK. The suspension can be quite stiff, getting in & out can be some work, the engine does needs some revs to get going. But compared to a 3-series diesel or other such, every drive is an occasion… It has a a sports car layout from the factory that a hot hatch or German sedan cannot reproduce.
So if you'd plan on using the '86 daily to ferry round the wife and kid(s), incl. making many stops, I wouldn't do it. But if you have another car in the family for this, use the '86 mainly yourself and only for occasional wife+kid trips, I'd say do look into it. It can also be quite frugal for what it is (200hp rwd coupe) and its lightness and compact dimensions make it simple to place and park. And the ability to get a bit sideways (esp. in the wet) always helps.
Cheers Was 8V. I would love to keep the S2k and may still end up like that as nothing I've drove compares to it as of yet but it really will become just a selfish car and a car for date night with the wife until my son turns 5 and I disconnect the airbag.
In the past my fun car has always been the "lets go on holiday in this mad machine" which enabled me to drive the wife and I 4+ hours to Cornwall or the Lake District and then enabled me to have one or two mornings just me and the car enjoying the roads. We've done a number of camping trips in the S2K but of course this year we're in a cottage in Cornwall.
Family driving will be mainly to visit family and the max we travel to see them as such is 30mins in the car in Saturday traffic.
I miss the sense of occasion you get. Years ago I thought I'd get it from the VRS and whilst it's very good and very very capable - it's also an amazing load lugger but it just doesn't feel particularly special.
The car will be my main daily driver with the occasional trip with the little one and wife thrown in and our holiday gubbins down to cornwall twice a year.
But yes if I decrease my car size I do agree the wife's car size does need to increase a tad. It's just convincing her to leave Lucy the Lupo
Either way I need to decide by June. I think test drive an 86 with baby seat and pram in situ and see how I get on.
In the past my fun car has always been the "lets go on holiday in this mad machine" which enabled me to drive the wife and I 4+ hours to Cornwall or the Lake District and then enabled me to have one or two mornings just me and the car enjoying the roads. We've done a number of camping trips in the S2K but of course this year we're in a cottage in Cornwall.
chillbill said:
So if you'd plan on using the '86 daily to ferry round the wife and kid(s), incl. making many stops, I wouldn't do it. But if you have another car in the family for this, use the '86 mainly yourself and only for occasional wife+kid trips, I'd say do look into it. It can also be quite frugal for what it is (200hp rwd coupe) and its lightness and compact dimensions make it simple to place and park. And the ability to get a bit sideways (esp. in the wet) always helps.
The ideal plan is to indeed as "Was 8V" said to sell the Lupo and sort the wife a Qashqai *yawn* or similar as she will not drive anything too large with overhang.Family driving will be mainly to visit family and the max we travel to see them as such is 30mins in the car in Saturday traffic.
I miss the sense of occasion you get. Years ago I thought I'd get it from the VRS and whilst it's very good and very very capable - it's also an amazing load lugger but it just doesn't feel particularly special.
The car will be my main daily driver with the occasional trip with the little one and wife thrown in and our holiday gubbins down to cornwall twice a year.
But yes if I decrease my car size I do agree the wife's car size does need to increase a tad. It's just convincing her to leave Lucy the Lupo
Either way I need to decide by June. I think test drive an 86 with baby seat and pram in situ and see how I get on.
So I ran a gt86 as my only car for about 2 years, my children were 1 to 3 yrs old and 4 to 6 yrs old at the time. It was a tight fit (and I am only 5,7" which helped). You can make this work if you and wife are not too tall, the leg room in back is the most limiting factor, boot is OK and a number of push chairs etc fit. It's also a very fun car to own (also owned a s2000 before and the handling in the gt86 is far better and much more confidence inspiring). I built a custom bike rack for the rear using tow hook mounts as no roofs are made for it. However as the children got bigger I had to get something with more leg room in the rear (which is a porsche 996 which surprisingly is far more practical with far more leg room for them). 
tonyb1968 said:
You wont get much in the boot of a GT86 or BRZ, plus if you want the extra mileage then you need a derv, if you want sporty, derv and big boot in a reliable package for not much cash, look at the Peugeot RCZ HDi 163, no problems putting a pram in the boot of one of those 
Perhaps, but have you seen the rear 'seats' in the RCZ?!Hub said:
tonyb1968 said:
You wont get much in the boot of a GT86 or BRZ, plus if you want the extra mileage then you need a derv, if you want sporty, derv and big boot in a reliable package for not much cash, look at the Peugeot RCZ HDi 163, no problems putting a pram in the boot of one of those
Perhaps, but have you seen the rear 'seats' in the RCZ?!
I'm still umming and arring about but I'm not a massive fan of the RCZ and much prefer the feel of RWD.
I took the S2K out for it's first drive since the winter two weeks ago and honestly it'll take something very special to replace this car it just delivers on a huge number of levels whether audible, feel, exclusivity, handling, balance, etc. I am swaying more to the camp of keeping the S2K at present.
I still need to test drive an 86/BRZ but once the house move is complete I'll start looking again.
We are moving house at present and my god is the VRS useful with it's massive boot I couldn't imagine having anything other than the current workhorse to help with this.
I took the S2K out for it's first drive since the winter two weeks ago and honestly it'll take something very special to replace this car it just delivers on a huge number of levels whether audible, feel, exclusivity, handling, balance, etc. I am swaying more to the camp of keeping the S2K at present.
mikey P 500 said:
So I ran a gt86 as my only car for about 2 years, my children were 1 to 3 yrs old and 4 to 6 yrs old at the time. It was a tight fit (and I am only 5,7" which helped). You can make this work if you and wife are not too tall, the leg room in back is the most limiting factor, boot is OK and a number of push chairs etc fit. It's also a very fun car to own (also owned a s2000 before and the handling in the gt86 is far better and much more confidence inspiring). I built a custom bike rack for the rear using tow hook mounts as no roofs are made for it. However as the children got bigger I had to get something with more leg room in the rear (which is a porsche 996 which surprisingly is far more practical with far more leg room for them).
Thanks for this it's a big help. I was looking at Boot bags for the 86 and seasucker mounts to expand storage for the two times a year we may travel down south but indeed fitting the puschair and three bags in for our clothes is a must. My wife is quite short and I'm just under 6ft so my son could easily fit behind her and she'd (touch wood) still be comfortable.I still need to test drive an 86/BRZ but once the house move is complete I'll start looking again.
drgoatboy said:
Out of interest why can't your son go in the s2000 until he is 5?
Interesting question - I had read online on S2Ki that someone recommended from 5+ in a convertible due to height and comfort levels etc. but ultimately the airbag will need to be disconnected to ensure he's safe (sounds counter intuitive that).We are moving house at present and my god is the VRS useful with it's massive boot I couldn't imagine having anything other than the current workhorse to help with this.
I've had a GT86 for just under a year and my wife has an Up. I've also had 2 S2000s way back in the early 2000s.
The 86 was bought to replace a Golf R estate I had stolen - I wanted something with a bit more character but with the ability to transport me, my wife and our 8 year old daughter when needed.
We intended to swap the Up for something bigger but we still haven't got round to it - we manage OK with the 86. We will get round to it but it's not a priority. We regularly do trips as a family from 30 mins to 2-3 hours without too much hassle - it's a compromise but it's not intolerable.
Having said that, my wife isn't over the moon with the car ("Yet another uncomfortable sports car" - still, it's one up from the Exige) but I love it - more feedback than an S2000 (easier to do 'big skids' which my daughter loves ) and the power for road driving is adequate - honestly, I've been driving race cars for 20 years - the 86, as a road car is just fine with the power it has.
It's chuckable, fun at sane speeds and fun on track too. There are plenty of upgrade routes, should you want to tinker but the basic package works well on the road. I originally bought it to use for a while then strip and cage for racing, but it's such a good road car I'm intending to leave it as it is, all I've done is added some brake cooling, braided lines and better pads so I can take it on track and not worry about brake fade.
Is it practical? Not massively. I'm not sure how practical it would have been when Emily was small - while the boot is an OK size for the type of car, a pram would fill it and the opening is realtively narrow meaning you'd be wise to test getting a pram in and out before you went ahead.
I'm inclined to say give it a year or two for the little one to be a slightly bigger one and the crap you have to cart about reduces significantly.
The 86 was bought to replace a Golf R estate I had stolen - I wanted something with a bit more character but with the ability to transport me, my wife and our 8 year old daughter when needed.
We intended to swap the Up for something bigger but we still haven't got round to it - we manage OK with the 86. We will get round to it but it's not a priority. We regularly do trips as a family from 30 mins to 2-3 hours without too much hassle - it's a compromise but it's not intolerable.
Having said that, my wife isn't over the moon with the car ("Yet another uncomfortable sports car" - still, it's one up from the Exige) but I love it - more feedback than an S2000 (easier to do 'big skids' which my daughter loves
) and the power for road driving is adequate - honestly, I've been driving race cars for 20 years - the 86, as a road car is just fine with the power it has.It's chuckable, fun at sane speeds and fun on track too. There are plenty of upgrade routes, should you want to tinker but the basic package works well on the road. I originally bought it to use for a while then strip and cage for racing, but it's such a good road car I'm intending to leave it as it is, all I've done is added some brake cooling, braided lines and better pads so I can take it on track and not worry about brake fade.
Is it practical? Not massively. I'm not sure how practical it would have been when Emily was small - while the boot is an OK size for the type of car, a pram would fill it and the opening is realtively narrow meaning you'd be wise to test getting a pram in and out before you went ahead.
I'm inclined to say give it a year or two for the little one to be a slightly bigger one and the crap you have to cart about reduces significantly.
I have a 14 year old daughter so no pram or pushchair to cart about but I have found the GT86 a superbly practical car and a heap of fun too - in fact it's the best car/all round compromise I have ever owned. I'm 6ft 2 so that doesn't leave much room for a rear seat passenger behind me but my daughter sho is tall sits behind my wife and indeed we have travelled from Sussex to Wales with a week's worth of luggage in it plus all three of us and my full size epiphone casino guitar on the rear seat in its case behind me. In addition I regularly ferry my daughter and a couple of her friends around in it so all four seats filled.
I've never tried to get a pushchair in it but the boot goes back quite far although the opening isn't very tall. The rear seats fold flat too so you can load long items so I have done tip runs in it including taking all the packaging for a piano etc. I also have a TVR Griffith and I can tell you that has hardly been out of the garage because the GT86 is almost as rewarding to drive, more comfortable and far more practical! I find the driving position is the best I have ever experienced (and I've driven 911's, Jaguar XJ8, Ferrari California, TVR S3, Griffith, Saab 9-3 convertible, various Audi's and VW's and a Ford Mustang.) Nothing communicates as well with the driver as the GT86 and it averages 33mpg on my daily commute.
If you're a keen enthusiastic driver then it's a beautiful balance of driving rewards and daily practicality.
Pretty too!
Here's mine touring the Alps near Annecy last Summer
Saxon
I've never tried to get a pushchair in it but the boot goes back quite far although the opening isn't very tall. The rear seats fold flat too so you can load long items so I have done tip runs in it including taking all the packaging for a piano etc. I also have a TVR Griffith and I can tell you that has hardly been out of the garage because the GT86 is almost as rewarding to drive, more comfortable and far more practical! I find the driving position is the best I have ever experienced (and I've driven 911's, Jaguar XJ8, Ferrari California, TVR S3, Griffith, Saab 9-3 convertible, various Audi's and VW's and a Ford Mustang.) Nothing communicates as well with the driver as the GT86 and it averages 33mpg on my daily commute.
If you're a keen enthusiastic driver then it's a beautiful balance of driving rewards and daily practicality.
Pretty too!
Here's mine touring the Alps near Annecy last Summer
Saxon
saxon said:
I have a 14 year old daughter so no pram or pushchair to cart about but I have found the GT86 a superbly practical car and a heap of fun too - in fact it's the best car/all round compromise I have ever owned. I'm 6ft 2 so that doesn't leave much room for a rear seat passenger behind me but my daughter sho is tall sits behind my wife and indeed we have travelled from Sussex to Wales with a week's worth of luggage in it plus all three of us and my full size epiphone casino guitar on the rear seat in its case behind me. In addition I regularly ferry my daughter and a couple of her friends around in it so all four seats filled.
I've never tried to get a pushchair in it but the boot goes back quite far although the opening isn't very tall. The rear seats fold flat too so you can load long items so I have done tip runs in it including taking all the packaging for a piano etc. I also have a TVR Griffith and I can tell you that has hardly been out of the garage because the GT86 is almost as rewarding to drive, more comfortable and far more practical! I find the driving position is the best I have ever experienced (and I've driven 911's, Jaguar XJ8, Ferrari California, TVR S3, Griffith, Saab 9-3 convertible, various Audi's and VW's and a Ford Mustang.) Nothing communicates as well with the driver as the GT86 and it averages 33mpg on my daily commute.
If you're a keen enthusiastic driver then it's a beautiful balance of driving rewards and daily practicality.
Pretty too!
Here's mine touring the Alps near Annecy last Summer
Saxon
A bit late to the party but I will add my thoughts. I've never tried to get a pushchair in it but the boot goes back quite far although the opening isn't very tall. The rear seats fold flat too so you can load long items so I have done tip runs in it including taking all the packaging for a piano etc. I also have a TVR Griffith and I can tell you that has hardly been out of the garage because the GT86 is almost as rewarding to drive, more comfortable and far more practical! I find the driving position is the best I have ever experienced (and I've driven 911's, Jaguar XJ8, Ferrari California, TVR S3, Griffith, Saab 9-3 convertible, various Audi's and VW's and a Ford Mustang.) Nothing communicates as well with the driver as the GT86 and it averages 33mpg on my daily commute.
If you're a keen enthusiastic driver then it's a beautiful balance of driving rewards and daily practicality.
Pretty too!
Here's mine touring the Alps near Annecy last Summer
Saxon
I bought our 86 new and had it now 5 years. I't done 2 euro tours and going to Le mans 24 hour this year. While I would not have it as my only car we also have a Disco 4 so if we need space the disco is used. I use the 86 daily and like others have said it's a lovely drive. OK could do with a little more power but 95% of the time it's more than enough.
We have 2 girls and when we bought it the room in the back was just enough but now they are 14 and 17 not so. The wife drives the disco most of the time. and being 6ft 2" myself not much room in the back. it's been a very capable car and faultless.
We don't normally keep cars longer than 3-5 years but the 86 is not going anywhere at the moment. Mainly as it's a great second car.
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